A University of Texas study has found no evidence that fracking — hydraulic fracturing of shale to extract natural gas — is contaminating groundwater.

Problems associated with the process have been reported in water, but they appear to occur at ground level or just below the surface, according to the study released Friday. Many are common to any natural-gas extraction process, or are the result of mishandling of wastewater, the researchers said.

“The bottom line was, in the areas we investigated … we found no direct evidence that hydraulic fracturing itself was contaminating groundwater,” said Charles Groat, professor of geology at the University of Texas at Austin…

it may be overblown, or downright fraudulent. Regardless, more study is needed so send money….of course the zealots already claim that since it was a UT report, it is obviously a product of Big Bad Oil.

Fracks occur far below the ground so there are at least 1000 ft of earth between a frack and anybody’s water. Common sense tells us any problems have to occur at the top of the well as spills or whatever. One wonders how much was paid for this obvious result.